node.js express not returning default page

Question

In this code

var history = require('connect-history-api-fallback');
var express = require('express');
var path = require('path');
var app = express();

app.use(history({
    index: 'Trading Inquiry/index.html'
}));
app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'Trading Inquiry')));
app.get('/', function (req, res) {
    console.log(1);
    res.sendFile('Trading Inquiry/index.html');
});

var server = app.listen(process.env.PORT || 3000, function () {
    var host = server.address().address;
    var port = server.address().port;

    console.log('My site started at http://%s:%s', host, port);
});

I set it up so that links are relative to the folder Trading Inquiry. Plus ig the / route is given, return the index.html file, and for routes that don't match, then also return the index.html file. However when I visit http://localhost:3000, I get

Cannot GET /

This works though

http://localhost:3000/index.html

Does anyone know what's wrong?

Thanks

Works on my computer when I comment out app.use(history({index: 'Trading Edit: Also works if I use app.use(history()) without any index parameter — Bergur
– Bergur, Commented Oct 30, 2018 at 2:24

Vishal-L · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-30 05:37:10Z

1

res.sendFile doesn't use express public path, so you have to mention the absolute path of file while sending it.

res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, 'Trading Inquiry', 'index.html'));

Another solution(the one I prefer),

If you provide '/' as first argument for express static middleware, the the file name index.html will be rendered.

So if you change below line:

app.use('/', express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'Trading Inquiry')));

You will not need a get route for index.html, so below code is not required.

app.get('/', function (req, res) {
    console.log(1);
    res.sendFile('Trading Inquiry/index.html');
});

edited Oct 30, 2018 at 5:37

answered Oct 30, 2018 at 5:29

Vishal-L

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3 Comments

omega Over a year ago

But if I do this, any other files in the root folder will be accessible?

Vishal-L Over a year ago

@omega, Yeah other routes will also work. And I don't understand why are you using 'connect-history-api-fallback' , it's usually used for a Single page Application having single index.html , so if you remove " app.use(history(...)) ", all the routes will work fine

omega Over a year ago

It needs a general fallback, because if I use history api, links generated could be like /customers/5, though the fodler structure doesn't exist server side, its virtual. Then if I copy that link to another tab, you get 404. Thats why server side needs a general catch all to return index.html.

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